Authorities warn of political violence as Central CA officials work to protect your vote

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With recent high-profile voting scares at the top of voters' minds, elections officials say they are working around the clock to protect your vote in Central California.

"We are very confident that in Fresno County, it will be a free and fair election," Fresno County Clerk and Registrar of Voters James Kus said.

His team has been preparing for months, even considering the risk of bad actors.

"We do have security plans at all of our locations, so if there's a physical threat, we're prepared for that as well," Kus said.

The possibility of physical threats comes amid heightened political rhetoric across the country.

"ABC News obtained documents from the Department of Homeland Security's Intelligence Office, where they actually said out loud in a confidential message just meant for law enforcement and government officials that they are concerned, that, irrespective of political leanings, that this environment could well lead to acts of violence," ABC News Chief Investigative Reporter Josh Margolin said.

Violence at polling places is rare but notable when it happens.

"I feel like tensions are even higher," Merced's Bre Villegas said. She saw the images of charred ballots in the Pacific Northwest.

She did not want her ballot to sit in a drop box.

"I decided to just send it in by mail instead of going to drop it off or going to vote in person," Villegas said.

In California, voters can track their vote-by-mail ballots online to ensure officials received it. But voters say they also have questions about cybersecurity and whether outside actors could manipulate counting machines.

"It's air-gapped," Kus said. "You cannot hack it the way someone thinks of from the movies where someone is jumping on a computer and hacking a governmental program."

Even with domestic and foreign threats, Kus and Margolin say election systems are designed to maximize security and protect voters.

"Voting is safe, voting is secure, ballots are going to be counted, and the risks of any kind of potential violence, or even the risk of some sort of fraud or election rigging (is) minimal," Margolin said.

If you do see something, officials want you to say something.

The U.S. Attorney's office has named a District Election Officer for complaints about voting rights concerns or potential fraud.

The public phone number is (916) 554-2723.

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